Arctic

Creative Rationale

Over the Arctic Ocean north of eastern Siberia, this remote polar location experiences extreme cold at 9.9°C with moderate winds from the northwest and very low atmospheric pressure. The brutal Arctic conditions demand an aggressive visual response - the extreme cold shifts de Kooning's typical flesh palette toward icy whites and blacks, while the moderate 11.1 m/s winds create diagonal slashing marks cutting across the canvas. The dangerously low pressure of 924.1 hPa compresses all forms against the picture plane, creating a claustrophobic tension of paint dragged and flung with violent energy.